Seal



R. J. VEDOVELL 'SEAL Filed Sept. 30, 1958 Nov. 10, 1942.

3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 10, 1942. R. J. vEDovELL SEAL Filed Sept. 50, 19583 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV 10, 1942. R. J. vEDovELL SEAL Filed Sept. v50, 19585 Sheets-Sheet 3 jzolplzJVdouell, 'i g MM2? Patented Nov. 10, 1942 SEAL'Rudolph J. Vedovell, Chicago. Ill., assignor to Chicago RawhideManufacturing Company, Chicago, 1li., a corporation of IllinoisApplication September 30, 1938,*Serial No. 232,556

1 Claim.

This invention has to do with end-thrust seals of the type ordinarilyused about a shaft between two axially separated members for sealing oilthe space present between such members.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improvedend-thrust seal winch is easy to install and remove, will effectivelyretain oil, grease or other lubricant while excluding dust, water andother foreign matter, is so designed as to compensate readily forendwise movement of the members, and is so constructed as to remaineifective over a long period of time under the most severe operatingconditions.

Other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of theconstruction of the new seal.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, several differentembodiments of the same are presented herein, but it will, of course, beappreciated that thel invention is capable of being embodied in variousother structurally modified forms coming equally within the scope of theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diametric section through a seal constructed in accordancewithl the invention, showing the same installed about a shaft betweentwo relatively movable machine parts;

Fig. 2 is a view of one end of the seal shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diametric section through the seal, taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2 showing the seal in an vuncompressed condition before beinginstalled;

Fig. 4 is a view of the other end of the seal;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section, taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a diametric section through another seal constructed inaccordance with the invention, the section being taken on the irregularline 6-6 of Fig. 7 and the irregular line 6-6 of F18. 8;

Fig. 7 is a view of one end of the seal shown in Fig.6

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the same seal, taken on the line8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view of the other end of the seal;

Fig. 10 is a diametric section through another seal constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 11 is a diametric section through still another seal constructed inaccordance with the invention, the section being taken on the irregularline iI-il of Fig. 12;

Fig. 12 is a view of one end of the seal shown in Fig. 1l, with portionsbroken away to show the inside of the seal;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section, corresponding to the upper portion ofFig. 11. showing the seal in its axially compressed and operativecondition;

Fig. 14 is a diametric section through one end only of a different seal,the section being taken on the irregular line Il-M of Fig. 15; and

Fig. 15 is an inside view of the end shown in Fig. 14.

The seal structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive will rst bedescribed. As shown in Fig. 1, the seal is adapted to be positionedabout a shaft Il between one end of a housing Il from which the shaftprojects and a part I2 which turns with the shaft. The seal wheninstalled is compressed between the opposed annular surfaces i3 and I4of the members Il and I2, and in that position serves to retain grease,oil o r other lubricant while excluding dust. water and other foreignmatter. In installments of this general character the part I2 is notonly rotatable with respect to the housing Il `but is also capable ofsome endwise and possibly some slight sidewise movement with respect tothe housing. The nnproved seal is so designed as to compensate for allsuch relative movements between the parts.

The seal includes two axially spaced annular plates i5 and i6, whichplates may advantageously be made as die castings. These plates areconnected together at their outer peripheries by a flexible tubulardiaphragm Il made of leather, synthetic rubber, or other suitablematerial. The edges of the diaphragm extend into annular grooves i8formed between concentric annular flanges I9 and 20 on the end plates,and the outer flanges 20 are turned inwardly in order to securely gripsuch edges. A

The end plate i5 is provided with a plurality of integrally formed studs2| which extend into recesses 22 in the housing il for the purpose ofanchoring the seal against rotation relative to the housing. A `washer23 of suitable packing material is positioned against the end plate i5and the opposed surface i3 of the housing, where it acts as a sealinggasket, the washer 23 being apertured at the locations of the studs 2lt0 accommodate the latter.

The end plates i5 and I8 are resiliently spread apart by a plurality ofsmall coil springs 2l', which springs are compressed between the endplates l5 and i6 and are held against displacement by integrally formedprojections 25 on the plates. The end plate I is provided. inwardly ofthe ilange I9, with an axially extending iiangelike formation 26 forcircumferentially interlocking coaction with a formation 21 on theopposed portion of the end plate I6. 'I'he formation 26, which may beeither continuous or interrupted. is provided with a plurality of radialoffsets 28 which provide narrow arcuate pockets for the reception of theformations 21, which latter formations are also arcuately shaped and fitloosely and slidably within the pockets. These intertting arcuateformations on the end plates I5 and I6 prevent the end plate I6 fromturning with respect to the anchored end plate I5, and also prevent anysubstantial sidewise shifting of one plate relative to the other whilepermitting free axial movement of the plates to compensate for anymovement of the part I2 toward or away from the end of the housing I I.

The end plate I6 is provided about its inner and outer edges with rims29 and 30. These rims provide an annular channel-shaped seat for apacking washer 3| of leather, synthetic rubber or other suitablematerial. The washer 30 is secured to the end plate I6, preferably bybeing cemented thereto, and is positively locked against any movementcircumferentially of the plate by means of arcuate extensions 32, whicharcuate extensions are preferably located about the inner periphery ofthe washer and interlock with openings of corresponding size and shapeformed in the inner flange 30 of the end plate.

The above described seal. structure is a selfcontained unit which can beeasily installed and removed from the machine parts with which it isassociated, It is so designed as to compensate readily for all movementsordinarily encountered in such an installation. The simple and durableconstruction insures a long period of troublefree service for the seal.

A somewhat modied form of the improved seal is shown in Figs. 6 to 9inclusive. In this form, the interlocking formations 33 and 34 forpreventing relative rotation between the end plates 35 and 36 arelocated about the inner peripheries of the end plates, instead of abouttheir outer peripheries, and the expansion springs 31, instead ofseating atly against the inner surfaces of the end plates aboutcentering projections, are positioned with their ends set back intolocating recesses 38 and 39 formed in the end plates, thus allowing theuse of longer and more eifective springs.

In the modification shown in Fig. 10, the anchoring studs 40, instead ofbeing formed as integral parts of the end plate 4I, extend throughapertures 42 in the end plate 4I and are carried by the opposed endplate 43, the portions of the studs 40 between the two end platesserving as the supporting and centering means for the expansion springs44.

In the modification shown in Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive, a cylindricalsleeve 45 of thin sheet metal is secured to the outer periphery of theinner end plate 46 and slidingly telescopes over the outer periphery ofthe end plate 41, in encompassing relation to the tubular diaphragm 4B.'This metal sleeve 45 acts as a constricting casing for the diaphragm48, to prevent bursting of the latter in the event of high pressurebelng placed upon the lubricant within the seal.

In the modiiication shown in Figs. 14 and 15,V

wherein only the diaphragm 49 and one of the end plates 50 is shown, theend plate 50 is provided at the base of the diaphragm retaining groove5I with a plurality of apertures 52. The diaphragm 49 and the packingwasher 53 are both made of the same synthetic rubber or other moldablematerial, and are molded together, in the same operation, through theopenings 52, the material of the washer 53 also preferably extending.through other locking apertures 54 formed in the end plate 50 inwardlyof the apertures 52.

I claim:

In a seal of the character described, two thin axially spaced annularplates, a. flexible tubular diaphragm connecting the plates, an annularpacking member positioned against the outer face of one of the plates,and interfltting arcuate formations projecting axially from the innerfaces of both plates, which formations reinforce the pates and permitaxial movement of the same while preventing relative rotation or anysubstantial sidewise sluiting of one plate relative to the other, saidformations on one of the plates consisting of circumferentially spacedarcuateprojections, and said formations on the other plate consisting ofcomplementary projections provided with arcuate pockets having radiallydisposed end walls and intervening radially offset arcuate side walls.

RUDOLPH J. VEDOVELL.

